2026-02-15 07:38:08Everyone in the Woods family mansion had left for work before Chris lazily opened his eyes.
He reached for his phone to check the time but froze in the process. A notification had just popped up, one that practically yanked him out of bed. It was a message from his investor.
“I’m ready to move forward. Let’s talk better in person. Let’s meet by 1 P.M today at Louis Café.”
His breath caught.
“Whoo-hoo!”
The sound echoed before he could even stop it.
He jumped out of the bed hoping to share the news.
But as he stepped out, he saw that everyone had left.
He sighed, glanced at the list of chores he’d been given before they left.
“Laundry first,” he muttered. “Then kitchen… then…. Ugh… dusting?”
He grabbed a broom and swept the living room.
The moment he was done, he slipped into a crisp shirt, a neat pair of pants,
polished his shoes, and dashed out the door.
When he arrived, Mr. Lacoster, his investor, was already waiting.
“Hi, Sir. I’m so sorry for keeping you waiting.” Chris said, sliding into the chair
across from him.
Mr. Lacoster smiled warmly. “It’s alright, Chris. I just got here a few minutes ago.”
He leaned back slightly, then added, “I must confess, the app is a brilliant idea.
My company will definitely fund it and bring it to life for people to use.”
Chris’s face lit up with relief and gratitude. “I’m so thankful, Mr. Lacoster. Thank
you for believing in me and in my app. I promise I won’t disappoint you.”
Mr. Lacoster chuckled softly, “You’d better not.”
He reached for a folder and pulled out the contract. After signing it himself, he slid
it across the table.
“Sign here.” He said, pointing to the designated spot.
Chris’s hands shook slightly as he signed. When he read the draft, he could hardly
believe his eyes. The man was giving him over 5 million dollars in funding.
“It was a pleasure doing business with you, Chris.” Mr. Lacoster said, standing.
“I’ll see you soon at the company. And don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything.”
Chris rose as well, trying to steady his voice. “No… thank you, Mr. Lacoster for
this incredible opportunity.”
…
Charlotte’s office smelled faintly of coffee and paper. Nothing unusual except that Fabio had come to discuss an important business deal with the Woods family.
Veronica sat elegantly in the chair opposite Charlotte, arms folded, listening, Fabio taking the seat next to her.
“This business deal will be yours Charlotte. Only if you promise to be mine.” Fabio said with a smirk on his face.
Veronica looked at Charlotte with a smile, then faced him, “That shouldn’t be a problem, Fabio. Chris is a good for nothing husband. Letting him go is the best decision Charlotte can ever make for this family. Right, Charlotte?”
Charlotte nodded with a smile
“He is just a nobody, Fabio. I was going to divorce him even without you saying it. I was looking for an opportunity but now, this is the best time to do it.” Charlotte said with pride.
“You are right, Charlotte. He probably would have stopped existing if you didn’t take him as your husband. He stays glued to you like a lapdog that won’t leave your side.” Veronica said as she laughed.
Then she faced Fabio, “But Fabio, are you sure once Charlotte divorces Chris, the deal will be ours?”
Fabio chuckled. “You might not know this, but we DeLuca always keep a promise. I promise you and your family that deal but Charlotte has to be mine.”
Charlotte and Veronica exchanged a knowing glance.
“Don’t worry, Fabio. It’s done” Veronica said, a sly smile playing on her lips.
“I guess I’m done here. For now. I’ll see you again Charlotte.” Fabio said as he stood up to take his leave.
“Yes, Fabio. We will get back to you.” Veronica said happily.
Fabio gave a big, flashy smile.
He left after kissing Charlotte on her cheeks.
Her cheeks flushed red.
Immediately he left, Charlotte spoke first, “Vee, I know you are excited about this whole deal thing. I am too, trust me. But how do we get Chris to divorce me? That man is a stubborn fool in love. He wouldn’t sign the papers unless it’s for a valid reason.”
Veronica sighed.
They both know that Chris would never sign those papers except he is being forced or for a genuine reason.
They had to come up with a plan.
Charlotte’s phone chimed. She glanced at the screen and scoffed.
“Come home early. I have a surprise for you.”
She hissed under her breath. “Unbelievable.”
“Who is it?” Veronica asked, barely looking up.
“Its chris,” Charlotte replied coldly. “He wants me to come home early.”
Veronica let out a short laugh. “Let me guess… one of his boring ideas?”
They both laughed.
An idea suddenly popped up in Veronica’s mind.
She snapped up from the chair and grinned.
“What is it?” Charlotte looked confused.
“I know how we can make Chris divorce you without stress.” Veronica said.
“Are you serious!?” Charlotte asked, her eyes widened.
Veronica gestured subtly for Charlotte to come closer. When Charlotte did, she leaned in and whispered something into her ear.
Charlotte blinked, caught off guard. For a moment she said nothing. Then a slow smile touched her lips “Stepmom… you’re a genius.”
Veronica smiled, satisfied. “You can say that again, baby girl.”
Charlotte grinned happily. She will finally get rid of her useless husband.
Without another word, they exchanged a look and walked out, already headed back to the mansion.
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Chapter 165
The black, armored SUV pulled to a stop near the main entrance of the Holloway Ridge mining facility. Chris stepped out into the heavy afternoon heat, his eyes scanning the perimeter. The area was quiet, almost too quiet, surrounded by chain-link fences and dense trees. Behind him, three heavily armed men from his personal security detail moved out in a tight formation, their hands resting near their weapons.Chris raised his left wrist, tapping the interface on his watch. "BODAS, do a quick sweep of the place. I want to know exactly what we are walking into before we move a step further.""Initiating security sweep, Mr. Greene," the AI’s calm, synthesized voice responded through his earpiece. "Accessing local satellite camera feeds now."On the small, high-resolution screen of his watch, a live aerial view of the entire Holloway Ridge facility flickered into focus. The digital camera feed tracked the main office, the heavy machinery parked near the primary dig site, and the transport
Chapter 164
Adrian stood up too, his hand gripping the edge of the table for balance. "Fine. If you’re going, I’m getting my gear. Give me ten minutes to get out of this sling and grab a vest.""No," Chris said. The word was short, sharp, and dropped like a heavy stone between them.Adrian frowned, stepping out from behind his lounger. He didn't stop moving toward the glass doors of the villa. "Don't 'no' me, Chris. I'm your Chief of Operations. If you're walking into an unmapped Holloway dead zone, I'm walking in with you. I can shoot one-handed if I have to."Chris stepped directly into Adrian’s path, blocking the walkway. His posture was rigid, but his eyes were wide and intense. "You aren't going, Adrian. Look at yourself. You can barely hold your glass without your shoulder locking up.""It's a scratch," Adrian snapped, his voice rising in frustration. "I've handled worse. I'm not sitting poolside sipping lime juice while you risk your neck because of a gut feeling about some old mainframe f
Chapter 163
The afternoon sun beat down on the private deck, baking the concrete around the infinity pool. Chris Greene lay back on a canvas lounger, his sunglasses pushed up into his hair. He held a cold glass of mojito, the condensation dripping down his fingers and onto his linen shorts. A few feet away, Adrian sat on a matching chair, his posture still slightly stiff from his recent injuries. His left arm was cradled in a dark medical sling, but the grey, exhausted look was finally leaving his skin.Chris took a slow sip through his straw, swallowed, and pointed the green glass toward Adrian. "See? I told you the sun would make you feel better. Your color is returning back to normal."Adrian let out a low laugh and shook his head. He looked down at his drink, then back at Chris. It was fascinating to watch the shift in his friend. With every major victory they secured against the legacy dynasties, a layer of heavy pressure seemed to lift from Chris's shoulders. Around the boardrooms and durin
Chapter 162
The fallout from the Judas Strategy was like an explosion that didn't stop. Within minutes of the files hitting the internet, the quiet streets of Onyx Harbor turned into a scene of chaos. The news was everywhere. It was on every smartphone, every office computer, and every television screen in every coffee shop.The press and media didn't just report the news; they hunted for more. News anchors were calling for immediate action. They didn't use soft words. They used words like "fraud," "murder," and "betrayal." Public outrage grew by the second.The most vocal groups were the clients of the Holloway jewelry line. These were wealthy, influential people who had spent millions of dollars on what they thought were rare, natural diamonds. Finding out they had been wearing synthetic "fake stones" made them furious. They didn't just want their money back; they wanted the Holloways in prison. Groups of them started gathering outside the Holloway flagship stores, shouting for justice.At the
Chapter 161
The CEO of Orixa-Tech, a woman named Funke, was just as tough."We’ve seen what happens when big firms move into Lagos," Funke said. "You’ll take our tech and move the headquarters to Europe. We want to stay here and build our local economy."Chris shook his head. "I want the tech, Funke, but I don't want to move you. I want you to be my regional hub.""That’s what they all say," Funke argued. "But then the contracts change. I cannot agree to a majority stake sale if it means my people lose their jobs."Again, they hit a wall. Adrian started typing on his laptop and then showed Chris the screen. He had drafted a "Local Autonomy Agreement" that guaranteed the headquarters would stay in Lagos for at least a decade and promised a massive budget for local hiring.Chris smiled and pitched the new deal to Funke. "I’ll sign a ten-year residency agreement. Orixa-Tech stays in Lagos. We will double your hiring budget specifically for local talent. I’m not here to erase you; I’m here to fuel yo
Chapter 160
The sun had barely started to peek through the curtains when Chris Greene opened his eyes. He didn’t linger in bed. There was too much to do. He went to his dressing room and skipped the tailored suits he usually wore for business. Instead, he pulled on a pair of dark jeans and a plain black t-shirt. He threw a light jacket over his shoulders and laced up his sneakers. Today wasn’t about looking like a CEO; it was about finishing a job.He grabbed his laptop from the nightstand and headed straight for the mansion’s medical wing. When he pushed the door open, he stopped in his tracks. Adrian was sitting upright in bed, his color looking a bit better and his eyes bright. He had two tablets propped up on his lap and a laptop on the rolling over-bed table.Chris shook his head in disbelief. "Adrian, do you even sleep? I’m starting to think you’re more of a machine than BODAS."Adrian let out a dry laugh that ended in a small wince. "Sleep is for people who don't have a world to conquer, C
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